John Caldigate eBook

to protection from the law because she is a conspirator.
Nor, because she is a conspirator, should he be less
amenable to the law for the terrible injury he would
then have done to that other lady. But if they
be conspirators,—­if it be shown to you
that they came to this country,—­not that
the woman might claim her husband, not that the others
might give honest testimony against a great delinquent,—­but
in order that they might frighten him out of money,
then I am entitled to tell you that you should not
rest on their evidence unless it be supported, and
that the fact of their conspiracy gives you a right,
nay, makes it your imperative duty, to suspect perjury.’

The remainder of the day was taken up with Sir John’s
speech, and with the witnesses which he called for
the defence. He certainly succeeded in strengthening
the compassion which was felt for Caldigate and for
the unfortunate young mother at Folking. ‘It
was very well,’ he said, ’for my learned
friend to tell you of the protection which is due to
a married woman when a husband has broken the law,
and betrayed his trust by taking another wife to himself,
as this man is accused of having done. But there
is another aspect in which you will regard the question.
Think of that second wife and of her child, and of
the protection which is due to her. You well
know that she does not suspect her husband, that she
fears nothing but a mistaken verdict from you,—­that
she will be satisfied, much more than satisfied, if
you will leave her in possession of her home, her
husband, and the unalloyed domestic happiness she has
enjoyed since she joined her lot with his. Look
at the one woman, and then at the other. Remember
their motives, their different lives, their different
joys, and what will be the effect of your verdict upon
each of them. If you are satisfied that he did
marry that woman, that vile woman, the nature of whose
life has been sufficiently exposed to you, of course
your verdict must be against him. The law is the
law, and must be vindicated. In that case it
will be your duty, your terrible duty, to create misery,
to destroy happiness, to ruin a dear innocent young
mother and her child, and to separate a loving couple,
every detail of whose life is such as to demand your
sympathy. And this you must do at the bidding
of four greedy, foul conspirators. Innocent, sweet,
excellent in all feminine graces as is the one wife,—­unlovely
unfeminine, and abhorrent as is the other,—­you
must do your duty. God forbid that I should ask
you to break an oath, even for the sake of that young
mother. But in such a case, I do think, I may
ask you to be very careful as to what evidence you
accept. I do think that I may again point out
to you that those four witnesses, bound as they are
together by a bond of avarice, should be regarded
but as one,—­and as one to whose sworn evidence
no credit is due unless it be amply corroborated.
I say that there is no corroboration. This envelope
would be strong corroboration if it had been itself
trustworthy.’ When he sat down the feeling
in court was certainly in favour of John Caldigate.